Sliding glass doors are modern conveniences found in most homes. The sliding glass door allows for the entrance and exiting through a door that moves on rollers in a parallel plane, versus a door that moves on hinges and rotates through an arc. A sliding glass door can be made from solid plate glass as it is supported by and moves along a predefined track. For this reason, sliding glass doors typically consist of a large pane of glass allowing the occupants to view outside the home in an unobstructed manner. Sliding glass doors provide a convenience in that they can be easier to open and close then a regular door. For example, children can easily push a sliding glass door open or closed if the sliding glass door is left in a unlocked position. However, small children typically are unable to rotate a door handle in order to allow the same type of entrance and exit.
Despite the conveniences of a sliding glass door, the ease of opening and closing can also pose a safety problem. In particular, throughout my years as a firemen I have come across numerous instances where childrens fingers have been severely damaged or severed due to the closing of a sliding glass door. The child typically grasps the end of the sliding glass door to try to pull it closed. Once the door is placed in motion it maintains momentum which can injure the child if the door traps the child's fingers between the leading edge and the closing hasp. The child's hands, being of small appendages, are no match to the amount of weight presented by the door. Depending upon the size of the door, a weight of over one hundred pounds is possible. The heavier door weights appear negligible in view of roller technology, however, the increased rolling efficiency makes the heavier doors even more dangerous. In addition, a typical door assembly includes a channel projection to prevent unauthorized access to the latching mechanism. The projections extend on each side of the door and are designed to a close tolerance to the door. These projections act like a knife should a child's fingers be caught between the moving door and either projection.
One known safety device lessens the ease of moving sliding glass doors. The decreased movement prevents a small child from slamming a door closed but also makes it difficult for the elderly to operate the door. If the sliding glass door is difficult to move, during an emergency the exit is effectively blocked. For this reason, the sliding glass door is typically left in either an open or closed position. An open door will allow the conditioned air to escape thereby causing high electrical or fuel bills. Further, airborne debris and insects may be allowed to enter the home.
What is lacking in the art is a device that permits the normal operation of a sliding glass door yet provides a barrier and prevents injury to a child's fingers.